Fire Protection Pact Finally In The Works

ROMEOVILLE — A compromise aimed at ending two years of legal battles over village fire protection is in the works, Romeoville's village attorney told the Village Board on Wednesday.

The village's dispute with the Lockport Township Fire Protection District arose in 1995 after Romeoville annexed the Material Service Corp. land east of Illinois Highway 53 and annexed new developments along Weber Road, according to Village Atty. Ray Meader.

Those annexed properties had been served by the Lockport Township Fire Protection District. Officials there said the Romeoville annexations had isolated sections of their territory and cut into their revenues.

A compromise calling for shared responsibility and revenue is a practical alternative to the prospect of litigation every time the growing village annexes more property, Meader said.

Area fire departments work together in mutual-aid agreements, he noted.

The major question is how to provide the best fire and emergency service with the quickest response, he said.

Under the terms of the proposed agreement, the Romeoville Fire Department would take primary responsibility for the Material Service Corp. land on Illinois 53 and developments on the east side of Weber Road. The Lockport Township Fire District would serve the land on the west side of Weber Road.

By calling for "a sharing of the revenue and a sharing of the services," the proposal would allow both fire services to develop a plan for their high-growth areas, Meader said.

Mayor Fred Dewald said the agreement would benefit the village.

"This puts an end to all lawsuits and gives us Material Service back," DeWald said.